Air Support Missions

Air Support Division missions are designed exclusively to achieve department goals as they relate to community service and officer safety. Primarily, ASD missions are conducted as part of (ASTRO) Air Support to Regular Operations or (SFS) Special Flights Section.

"ASTRO" is the bread and butter mission at ASD. Historically, it has generated approximately 80% of the Division’s total flight time. An ASTRO aircrew consists of one Command Pilot and one Tactical Flight Officer (TFO). The aircrew monitors citywide police radio frequencies, they respond to calls for service and make aerial observations based on their experience as police officers. In effect, ASTRO can be thought of as a patrol car in flight. In fact, The Air Support motto is, "The mission is the same, only the vehicle has changed."

ASTRO is the Department’s "Force Multiplier," enabling a smaller work force to complete assigned and assumed tasks.

Benefits of the Force Multiplier effect include more ground-based officers available for assignment, increased productivity and personal well being and reduction of liability claims against the City.

The Special Flights Section (SFS) was created in 1976 to provide surveillance and support for detectives and undercover operations. The SFS has become critical to narcotics investigations and has been a significant contributor to the seizure of contraband valued in the billions of dollars.

Beyond ASTRO and SFS, Air Support Division missions are comprehensive and provide assistance to nearly every facet of the department: